Italian vowels (i vocali) are short, clear–cut, and are never drawn out. The "glide" with which English vowels frequently end should be avoided. It should be noted that a, i, u, are always pronounced the same way; e and o, on the other hand, have an open and a closed sound that may vary from one part of Italy to the other.
* q. e* g2 [( w2 Q The approximate English equivalents are as follows:
; R' E7 q3 O* c( {# I a is like a in the English word ah!' C/ d2 _$ k- d! H. b+ W2 l/ B
Italian English
$ M# k" _/ E3 T1 A9 E casa house' l! k4 h* G: I+ n l
antipasto appetizer
; c% J& ?4 m, B5 q& o0 p ama loves
% } ~: ]& t0 e; y) g x banana banana% R( s$ E& k9 {1 f: A) g0 T
sala hall% Z& {3 [+ t) M# F& u
Papa Pope% ~' C$ c$ F% A4 T; n* b
fama fame. p% J0 |4 J4 V* @) m- W
pasta pasta; dough; pastry
! e) N3 _$ P6 Z1 e9 \! c3 f# g7 }" l e is sometimes like e in the English word they (without the final i glide).5 s6 A7 d4 |' w8 l
Italian English
$ D! {, m% ]: p: e; | e and
% w. e1 O6 Q/ F6 R Y6 g$ p2 n1 D1 B2 w beve drinks
) C! i; _3 _0 y& S s1 _ me me6 W" I) t7 {6 n" w) ^$ A
fede faith. {1 s4 n, V" ?: i) w3 ?
vede sees1 U/ m1 _* u, R" K/ d4 k
mele apples
& ~! x- p+ N5 r5 ~( r7 L sete thirst
" { T2 P. @& z; f) O pepe pepper( H+ u& M" ?+ ]% }& U+ ~. X; x# l
e is sometimes like e in the word met. This is the open e.
9 Q9 ^& E( v% X7 N0 r2 R Italian English
/ F# M$ [9 w( R è; h3 {. h O* k9 G; o! w) m, c/ G
is
5 s+ u: U' c2 B+ J. J0 h7 p lento: r9 B- s {" M7 o) [5 M
slow
4 x; o5 K- V* V bene
- F. _! ] { y) ^1 J4 p6 b% h' n& T well
! r: y7 Y9 R% m7 U/ W festa
: d0 D3 S# J5 | party; holiday# g m: u+ m9 C" Q- b
sedia
?& \/ e$ @" V5 p) q chair
+ Z5 Q0 R2 R* Q* Q7 g8 D presto
4 I# |9 j9 \) \- \0 e" A6 \ soon+ o5 K2 J: _' Z/ V
vento
% m1 j; q ?: a3 e6 R9 h wind) D5 ^# h- |4 \1 n# T
tè9 [; S& f9 k" y1 o! i
tea
3 L& |' K4 {1 @& H# F i is like i in machine.
7 f# G0 A: K$ _2 }8 G( C8 I Italian
4 o2 e. H9 @; r& o$ N# s English; k5 b# k. _8 t! Y
libri
! d5 X8 q H. i books
4 E. I4 ~4 l6 c0 K4 ? bimbi
* @' U w6 I0 \ t# f$ c children; y4 V4 O% {5 o9 a! l
vini: h9 z+ P; a( m& G s/ @
wines
, p5 x+ l( M2 @; } violini% ]1 d( `/ `3 }6 S; j% i
violins4 E" R" I! r/ o6 I( f6 n1 |
tini
5 ^! u" q, G J7 O: G vats
Y- B7 E5 H; Y1 V7 |/ T pini+ j1 C) I2 i, P8 x) c: A
pines |